Memorial tournament honors Fitchburg High grad Brad Cutting

FITCHBURG -- The saddest story of all is that of a life cut unexpectedly short.

Although former Fitchburg High School hockey player Brad Cutting's life ended at the age of 20 in a car accident the day after Thanksgiving in 2015, the former Red Raider made a lasting impact in the time that he had.

Saturday at the Fitchburg State University Wallace Civic Center some of those whose lives Cutting touched came back to honor him in the second annual Brad Cutting Memorial Ice Hockey Game.

"He was well-loved in all of the communities," event organizer Katy Finn said. "The reason why we started this was because the kids needed an avenue of honoring him.

Carolyn Lemieur, the mother of Brad Cutting, wears a Fitchburg High/Monty Tech jersey with his number during thee2nd Annual Brad Cutting Memorial Ice Hockey Game at the Wallace Civic Center in Fitchburg on Saturday, March 25, 2017. Cutting was just 20-years-old when he died in a two-car accident on November 27, 2015. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / Ashley Green (Ashley Green)

Last year it was just Fitchburg High alumni, but this year we opened it up to all of the surrounding communities, because he played for the Twin City Hawks and played street hockey in Fitchburg and Leominster.

"I know it's a sad day, but it's also a happy day. It's a happy day because we're remembering him."

Cutting was an avid snowboarder and ice hockey, baseball and street hockey player. He died in a two-car accident on Route 140 on Nov. 27, 2015. He was a 2014 graduate of Fitchburg High School.

In keeping his memory alive, event organizers created a hockey tournament, featuring alumni of Fitchburg/Monty Tech hockey and surrounding schools, giving those who knew Cutting the opportunity to enjoy his memory and rekindle their love of hockey and the cohesiveness of the community.

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The tournament featured six teams, and each game was 18 minutes of running time. Teams split into two divisions and at the conclusion of the games there was a championship game. More than 60 men and women took part in the event, while well over 100 people attended the event throughout the day.

It cost $50 to play in the tournament, and there were a number of raffle items up for bid. In total more than 60 local businesses either donated directly to the effort or offered raffle items in the form of gift cards, memorabilia and gift baskets.

"A lot of local businesses gave gift cards including Slatterys, Gomes Liquors and Cozy Corner among others," Finn said. "There are places outside of Fitchburg, like Chapdelane's, and some people just gave a donation."

All of the proceeds of the tournament go to a scholarship in Cutting's name. Students apply for the scholarship through the Fitchburg High School Alumni Association, and it goes to a student or students who demonstrate heart and a strong work ethic.

"Unfortunately, 485 days ago, he died tragically in a car accident," said Dave Cutting, Brad's father. "It's been a struggle since then, but this is a very nice thing to keep his memory alive.

Zebadiah Conley, 7, watches the action during the 2nd Annual Brad Cutting Memorial Ice Hockey Game at the Wallace Civic Center in Fitchburg on Saturday, March 25, 2017. Cutting was just 20-years-old when he died in a two-car accident on November 27, 2015. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / Ashley Green (Ashley Green)

Brad was a good student, he worked hard at it, but the intention of the scholarship is not to go to a kid who gets every scholarship that there is, but for a blue-collar person to accept it."

Carolyn LeMieur, Cutting's mother, witnessed the close-knit nature of hockey from when Brad began competing at a young age, and those bonds are just as strong as they are today.

"It's a bittersweet day," LeMieur said. "There's a huge amount of support from the community. I didn't even know how many people Brad touched before he passed away until we had this last year. For kids this age to come together shows that they know the meaning of friendship, love, team and family. I don't think I'll ever touch as many people as he did, in my life.

Guests purchase raffle tickets during the 2nd Annual Brad Cutting Memorial Ice Hockey Game at the Wallace Civic Center in Fitchburg on Saturday, March 25, 2017. Cutting was just 20-years-old when he died in a two-car accident on November 27, 2015. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE / Ashley Green (Ashley Green)

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Those who knew Brad say he would have been glad to see so many people in the community bonding together around a cause. Not only is it a time for old friends to catch up, as alumni from previous Fitchburg teams participate, but also a chance for those who knew Brad to do what he valued most in life, and enjoy the company of friends and others.

"You can't imagine what Dave and Carolyn are going through," Fitchburg/Monty Tech boys' hockey coach Steve Lowney said. "This is a nice diversion that they can pool their energy into year after year in memory of Brad.

"There are a lot of familiar faces that I coached, even going back to coach Craig Chalifoux and coach Rich Vacarelo's years. It means a great deal to come out as a hockey community. Brad was an important part of our team for four years, and was that unsung, quiet guy who everybody loved and respected. It's a sad reminder of what happened, but also a celebration of his life and the kind of kid Brad was."

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